Brassiere



March 31, 1931.

H. PoNs BRASSTRE Filed July 5, 1929 2 Sheets-Sheet l nvwtoz lHELE/VE PONS 32)? lbtomea H, PONS BRASSIRE March 31, 1931.k

Filed July 5, 1929 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 noeuoz HELENE PONS Patented Mar. 31, 1931 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE HELENE PONS, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNOR T 'VAN RAALTE COMPANY, INC., 0F NEW YORK, N. Y., A CORPORATION 0F NEW YORK IBRASSIRE Application led July 5, 1929. Serial No. 375,943.

This invention relates to wearing apparel and more particularly to brassires or bust supporting forms. n

It is among the objects of this invention to provide bust supporting forms which shall support each bust individually and as firmly as a wearer might desire.

Bras'sires having individual cup-shaped forms have been devised but all such braslo sires are deficient for one one reason or anotherand particularly because due consideration has not been given to the delicate natural lines required for present day wear and also to the comfort` of the wearer. The comfort of the wearer is of paramount importance and my brassire'is so characterized as to provide the comfortdesired while at the same time it possesses no protrusions such as might disclose its presence or otherwise contribute to an unnatural appearance of the breasts or of other portions of the body of the wearer. It is, therefore, among the objects of my invention to obviate the deficiencies of former types of brassires as briefly referred to hereinabove by providing a brassire which is at once comfortable and suitable to present day demands and which has individual cup-shaped portions for each breast partially edged with resilient material suiiciently fiexible to conform to the contour or configuration of a wearers chest, while at the same time accommodating itself so as to neatly support the breasts without disclosing its appearance to a casual observer.

It is a further object of the invention to provide a brassire which is suitable for wear upon different types of figures so that a merchant need only carry in stock a limited number of sizes and yet be able to provide a brassire suitable for the use of any probable customer. Other and more detailed objects and advantages of the invention will be pointed out hereinafter in the description which follows and in the claims.

Having reference to the drawings,

Fig. 1 is an illustration of a brassire ein` bodying the invention.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged showing of a portion of one of the cup-shaped forms of the brassire of Fig. 1 with material broken away to illustrate normally enclosed construction.

Fig. 3 is a section taken on line 8-3 of F ig. 2 illustrating my preferred form of resilient self-conforming material bordering a portion of each cup-shaped pouch.

Fig. 4 is a special type of brassire embodying my invent-ion and suitable for use during a period of lactation.

As illustrated in Fig. 1 each breast is to be enclosed or covered by an individual pouch or cup-shaped form 1() and it is customary to vmake such a form by joining together two properly cut pieces 11, 12 of material. rlhese pieces of material may be of any selection such as netting, silk or rubber or of any combination of such materials, but in such cases as the use for which the brassire is to be designed contemplates the giving of a natural appearance it is preferable that the material of the pouch be exible and limp in the manner characteristic of a fabric which is soft and pliable in texture.

As may best be seen in Figs. 2 and 3 a portion of the edge of each cup-shaped form 10 is bordered by a resilient member 13 which is incased and protected from contact with the body by a sheath of soft compressible material 14 such as velvet, for example. This sheath 14 constitutes a convenient means by which the resilient member 13 may be secured to the cup-shaped forms 10.

In order to achieve the purposes of my invention member 13 must be resilient and suflciently flexible to conform to any of many curved surfaces characteristic of the chests of different individuals in the vicinity of the breasts. If made of metal or of a steel spring, an elongated cross-sectional form such as that illustrated in Fig. 3 is suitable for the broadest dimension 15 .affords s ucient surface for a comfortable presentation against the surface of the body and its narrow dimension 16. is a factor enabling` the strip to follow the undulations of the surface of the body with which it contacts and thereby distributes pressure' transmitted over a greater surface than would be the case if the member were not suiciently iiexible.

Then again member 13 is in the form of an open-sided loop bordering both sides and the lowermost portion of a breast and because of this construction the ends 17, 18 of the loop structure may be cause to assume a spaced relation more or less than its normal tendency allows. Accordingly, when the brassire is in place it, readily adapts itself to the requirements of its user in that, whether a breast be larger or smaller than that prescribed as standard for a particular brassire, the ends 17. 18 will either spread apart or be permitted to be close together, and in any event appropriate tightness or firmness of support may be obtained thereby in conjunction with other possible adjustments which will be apparent from the description hereinafter set forth.

Depending upon the nature of the material forming the resilient. member 13, its crosssection may assume various forms in order that a desired degree of flexibility in planes at right angles to each other be obtained. Other substances which are useful for the purpose specified are semi-hard rubber celluloid and whalebone.

If padding of soft compressible material is desired along the inner edge of loop member 13 and sheath 14, cords 18a may be sewn into folds of the material of the cup-shaped forms 10.

As stated hereinbefore, each breast is individually supported, and, as a feature 'contributing to the comfort of a wearer as Well as to ease of adjustability, the individual cupshaped forms are not rigidly related to one another but are associated together by limp or fiexible strips 19. I have found it desirable to provide elastic material for these strips-but fabric strips are suitable, and, whatever their material be, they may be in any number and may be permanently takenup or lengthened, as desired. A temporary change in length such as would be necessary to alter the spacing of the two loops 13, either for adaptation or tightness of support, could be taken care of by the elasticity of the elastic strips 19.

The bands 20, 21, which encircle the body, may be ribbons, each having one end attached to a cup-shaped form 10 and several bracing strips 22, 23 attached to itself and to its associated form 10. The use of several strips 22, 23 in conjunction with a body encircling band insures the proper contacting of the loop with the body and particularly is this so of the ends 18 thereof which might otherwise stand away from the body and thereby be conspicuous.

Each end of a band 20, 21 is provided with an elastic tip 24, 25 so as to permit reasonable extension. Hooks 26, 27 engage the tips 24, 25 with any loop of the two series of loops 28,29, as desired.

One end of each shoulder strap 30, 31 is attached to the edge of the upper portion 11 of a cup-shaped form 10 in such a manner that its edge 32 may be caused to lie against the body along its entire length from end 17 to end 18 at the sides of the open area of each loop 13. Because of the lack of any appreciable thickness of the material of portions 11 its presence will not detract from a natural appearance.

At the back of the wearer shoulder straps 30, 31 are attached to body encircling bands 20, 21, preferably through the intermediary of elastic tapes 33, 34, respectively.

lVhen designed for evening wear or for similar functions, shoulder straps 30, 31 could be omitted and the edges 32 of upper portions 11 modified to more nearly a straight line. The tautness of the limp and flexible material of the pouches 10 across the open area of the loop structure which is characteristic of the brassire will permit of such modification without detracting from the advantages recited.

In Fig. 4i there is illustrated the embodiment of my invention in a maternity brassire. Each cup-shaped form 35 is bordered by a resilient loop structure 36 of the order previously described, but for the present purpose the form 35 and loop structure 36 are detachable at will from one another and are held together, preferably, by a lacing 37 engaging holes 38 in each separable part. Obviously the maternity brassire has advantages incident to one prescribed for more common uses, but it has an additional advantage in the facility in which it may be adjusted for various degrees of swelling of the breasts. Since, this type of brassire is of much use in hospitals it is suggested that the parts thereof be of a simple and easily replaceable material. Accordingly, connecting strips 39, 40, the body encircling band 41 and shoulder straps 42 may be made of elastic tape and in the manner illustrated. i

While I have disclosed herein preferred forms of my invention I wish it to be understood that other forms may be made and alterations provided within the scope of the annexed claims without departing from the nature and spirit ofthe invention.

I claim:

1. A body-ittin brassire which supports the breasts indivi ually and without effecting false forms comprising, a pair of breastforms and limp material connecting the breast forms and holding them in position upon a wearer, each of the breast-forms being of an individual construction and having an open-ended fiat wire loo of resilient material capable of being Hexe to lie against the chest of a wearer, the wire of said loop being substantially oblong in cross section with the broad dimension of the cross section substantially in a plane, and shaped limp material fastened to the loop and extending across the open-area of the loo the lim material connecting the breastorms an holding lll) them in position upon the wearer including a body-encircling band and shoulder straps, each of which shoulder straps issecurcd to the encircling band at the back of the wearer and the other ends are attached, respectively, to

the portions of the shaped limp materials between the ends oft' therespective open-ended flexible in directions perpendicular the plane of the loop than in directions at right angles to said directions of greater flexibility, said loop being adapted to conform to the contour of the body and breast of a wearer and shaped limp material extending across the open-area of the loop to support a breast in conjunction with the loop, flexible material, at least a portion of which is elastic, connecting the inner sides of the twoloops and extending across the chest of' a wearer, a band adapted to extend Aacross the back of a wearer to connect with -the two outer sides of the loops, and

shoulder straps connected at their front ends.

respectively, to the shaped limp materials of the open-ended loops, respectively, and connected at their back ends to said band whereby the brassire is held in place and is caused to assume a comfortable position with its presence imperceptible through thin clothing.

3. A body-tting brassire which supports the breasts individually and without effecting false forms comprising, a pair of breastforms, each having a resilient metallic frame in the form of an open-ended loop adapted to conform to the body and breast of a wearer, said loop comprising a steel Wire more flexible in directions perpendicular the plane of the loop than in any other direction, i

protective coverings for said frames, and shaped limp material extending across the open-area of each frame to sup ort a breast in conjunction with the frame, exible material connected with the inner sides of the two loops and extending across the chest of a wearer, a band adapted to extend across the back of a wearer and to connect with the two outer sides of the two frames, and

shoulder straps connected at their back ends to said band and connected at their front ends, respectively, to the portions of the shaped ylimp material of the frames, respectlvely, wherebythe brassire is held in place and the limp materials of the frames are caused to give support to the breasts.

4. A body-fitting brassire which su ports the breasts individually and Without efidcting false forms comprising, a pair of breast- `forms and pliant material connecting the breast-forms and holdin them in position upon a wearer, each of the breast-forms being of individual construction and having an open-ended loop of resilient material capable of' being flexed when in use, said .loop being more flexible in directions perpendicular the loop than in directions within the plane of theloop, breast enveloping material disposed within the area of each loop, and a covering over each loop of resilient material, said breast enveloping materials and coverings for the loops being provided with means enabling various degrees of expansion to accommodate different swellings of the breast, the pliant material connecting the breast forms and holding them in position on the body of a wearer including shoulder straps, each of which shoulder straps are secured to the encircling band at the back of the wearer and connected at their front ends, respectively, to the portions of theybreast enveloping materials disposed within the areas of the respective loops.

5. In combination, a body-fitting brassire comprising a pair of breast supporting pouches, each breast supporting pouch comprising an open-ended loop of resilient material adapted to flank and pass beneath a breast of a wearer and follow the contour of the chest, said resilient material being in the form of' a strip with its broadest dimension in contact with the chest of the wearer and its other dimension sufiiciently small to permit lexure for affording contacting relation of the full length of the strip with the rounded portion of the chest adjacent the breast, said strip being more flexible in directions pery pendicular the said broad dimension of the strip than in directions perpendicular the said smallest dimension of a strip, and shaped limp material secured to the loop and extending across the open area of the loop to form a breast supporting pocket; and ribbons connecting the pair of breast sup orting pouches and maintaining them upon the body of a wearer, said ribbons extending across the chest between the innermost upstanding ends of the loops and between the outermost upstanding ends of the loops across the back and from the. breast supporting pocket of each pouch over the shoulders to the ribbon disposed across the back.

In testimony whereof I hereto aflix my signature. i

HELENE PONS. 

